🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1992Feb10.230759.3458@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> bg123@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John L. Schuncke, Jr.) writes:

>A little while back I bought a slightly-used TRS-80 Model I with a "G" rev.
>motherboard, a nifty 32K expansion interface (with the "delay-line" memory
>logic, no buffered expansion interface cable here!), and an Aerocomp SSSD
>35-track disk drive.  Along with this came a copy of TRSDOS (version
>unknown) which WILL NOT BOOT.  Sigh.  The machine can read the boot sector
>OK, but it then seeks the rest of the OS loader at track 14 or something
>(lots of head stepping), but always returns to track 0 and displays on
>screen (in 32-column mode) "DISK ERROR".

>I've tried loading at least one other copy of TRS-DOS, given to me by an
>acquaintance whom I've since lost track of.  This will not even try to load
>the boot sector.

>Now the questions:

>   1) Does this sound like a marginal or defective boot disk?

Possibly, but not the best guess.

Usually when I have this problem it is because the Expansion Interface (EI)
card edge connector for the floopy drive is dirty.  Talk a bulk
eraser and genty rub the contacts before connecting the cable.
(This technique is affectionately known as the "pink pearl" fix.)

If you do not have a double density board in the EI, consider buying
one.  They are about $40 nowdays.  A double density board will greatly
increase your floppy disk reliablity for both single and double density
operation.

(This is because the EI does not have external data separator
logic for its floppy controller IC.  The IC's internal separator is
not very good.)

>   2) I have tried swapping out the drive mechanism in the Aerocomp
>      box with a Shugart SA-450 drive; it behaves the same.  However,
>      the 450 is a 40-track drive; is its track density the same as that
>      of a 35-track drive (48TPI)?

35 and 40 track drive are the same track density.  The extra 5 tracks
are in innermost.

>   3) Anyone out there still selling DOS for Model Is? Any compatible DOS
>      will work just fine.  I'll also consider buying YOUR copy of
>      TRS-DOS, just to have a system software "baseline".

Do not use TRSDOS.  It is incredibly buggy.  I use NEWDOS/80 2.0 by
AeroComp, but they are no longer in business.  LDOS is available
and supposedly very good.  Try:

         Misosys
         P.O. Box 239
         Sterling, VA 22170
         703-450-4181

for LDOS and more Model I stuff.  (I have never talked with the
company personally.  This information is from a TRS-80 mailing
list I operate.)

>		Thanx for the patience and the bandwidth,
>				>JS<
>John L. Schuncke
>--
>[][][][][][][][][][] John L. Schuncke, Jr. [][][][][][][][][][]
>[] Obligatory Disclaimer: Leave my #@^&! boss out of it!!!   []
>[] Obligatory Clever Life-Encompassing Saying... Not!!       []
>[][] "--- I have seen the FUN ---" -- Zippy the Programmer [][]
--
Quentin Barnes
qbarnes@urbana.mcd.mot.com | ..!uiucuxc!udc!qbarnes

In article <1992Feb10.230759.3458@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, bg123@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John L. Schuncke, Jr.) writes:
>
> A little while back I bought a slightly-used TRS-80 Model I with a "G" rev.
> motherboard, a nifty 32K expansion interface (with the "delay-line" memory
> logic, no buffered expansion interface cable here!), and an Aerocomp SSSD
> 35-track disk drive.  Along with this came a copy of TRSDOS (version
> unknown) which WILL NOT BOOT.  Sigh.  The machine can read the boot sector
> OK, but it then seeks the rest of the OS loader at track 14 or something
> (lots of head stepping), but always returns to track 0 and displays on
> screen (in 32-column mode) "DISK ERROR".
>
> I've tried loading at least one other copy of TRS-DOS, given to me by an
> acquaintance whom I've since lost track of.  This will not even try to load
> the boot sector.
>
> Now the questions:
>
>    1) Does this sound like a marginal or defective boot disk?
>    2) I have tried swapping out the drive mechanism in the Aerocomp
>       box with a Shugart SA-450 drive; it behaves the same.  However,
>       the 450 is a 40-track drive; is its track density the same as that
>       of a 35-track drive (48TPI)?
>    3) Anyone out there still selling DOS for Model Is? Any compatible DOS
>       will work just fine.  I'll also consider buying YOUR copy of
>       TRS-DOS, just to have a system software "baseline".
>
> 		Thanx for the patience and the bandwidth,
> 				>JS<
> John L. Schuncke
> --
> [][][][][][][][][][] John L. Schuncke, Jr. [][][][][][][][][][]
> [] Obligatory Disclaimer: Leave my #@^&! boss out of it!!!   []
> [] Obligatory Clever Life-Encompassing Saying... Not!!       []
> [][] "--- I have seen the FUN ---" -- Zippy the Programmer [][]

Sounds like a disk problem.
I would suggest ordering a new DOS disk from a Radio Shack store, or directly
thru Tandy Software.  Call (817) 390-3011 ans ask the operator for that number.


--
Eric Levinson
levinson@vax.sonoma.edu    ! Vax
levinson@zippy.sonoma.edu  ! SunUNIX
Eric Levi		   ! Pc Link, America Online
JWPP04A			   ! Prodigy

Computer Science Student
Department of Computer Science
Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA

I can also be reached on my BBS system, Color Galaxy Milky Way
at (415) 883-0696 3/12/24 bps Press <ENTER> a few times after connect